


Sirens Call

by ignite



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: ...a little too much, M/M, Merman!AU, Myan - Freeform, Royal Ryan, merman!michael, possessive!michael
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-12
Updated: 2015-01-12
Packaged: 2018-03-07 08:09:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3167702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ignite/pseuds/ignite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They are dangerous, unpredictable and capricious. They hide in the depth of a sea cold enough to kill a man within a few minutes. The legends say they kill humans for fun, sink their boats and eat their flesh.</p><p>Ryan fell in love with one of them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sirens Call

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is mostly angsty. Blame the song Sirens Call by Cats On Trees.

The small wooden boat swayed gently on the calm see, gliding on the black water under the night sky.

The current was gentle, softly carrying it away from the shore. Ryan’s right hand was trailing in the water. His fingers could feel the temperature drop steadily. He left them in until the water got too cold and started to hurt.

He pulled his hand out, put his glove back on and pulled his thick coat tighter around his shoulders. The water wasn’t the only thing getting colder and colder. The wind wasn’t very strong, but it was enough to whip Ryan’s cheeks.

It was silent here, in the middle of the sea. The shore was a distant line, barely visible anymore. The stars above his head were reflected in the water. The boat made little gurgles as it went on, and on, sailing peacefully, bumping against the tiniest waves. Ryan wasn’t steering it at all ; the current was doing all the work.

Until the boat stopped.

It was sudden enough for Ryan to be sent forward and fall off the bench. On all fours, he peeked over the side of the boat.

The stars were white points on the black see. There were also two red points there, shining as brightly as the brightest star. Ryan smiled.

“‘Evening.”

The two red points blinked, then moved.

A silhouette cut itself out of the black water. Something hit the bottom of the boat, and then the silhouette got its head out of the water.

The red eyes blinked again.

"Hi," said the silhouette.

Ryan took a matchbox out of his pocket and lit the oil lamp that was dangling from a small wooden pole at the front of the boat. He was far enough from the shore that it wouldn’t be noticed.

The trembling light fell on a peculiar creature, its head out of the water and the rest of it still under. Its bones looked too sharp, its hair too coarse, its skin grey but thin enough to see blue veins running underneath.

One of its arms was holding onto the side of the boat under water, keeping it still. Its torso looked broadly human, but under the belly button, a fish-like tail replaced the bottom half of its body. Its scales were shining with a silver glow under the light of the moon, and the sides of its neck displayed three thin slits that moved with each of the creature’s breaths.

"So, you’re still alive," it said.

"One day," said Ryan, "you’ll greet me with a simple "hello"."

"I’ve been waiting for you. The sea thawed two weeks ago, Ryan. What were you waiting for?!"

Ryan sighed. “I was busy. I’m sorry. How are you, Michael?”

"Fine," answered the creature, calming down a little. "I was just fishing."

"FISH!!!" shouted a new voice.

Michael turned around in the water. “Shhhhhh!!” he hissed. “We’re not that fucking far from the shore, you idiot!”

"Sorry…" said the second voice as another similar silhouette slithered into the light. This one’s tail had green scales. "Hi, Ryan."

"Hi, Gavin."

"Don’t mind me, just passing through." And Gavin dove underwater. He reappeared on the other side of the boat, red eyes glowing in the night. "There’s a whole school of fish right over there!"

"Is he really that famished?" asked Ryan with a slight frown.

"Nah," answered Michael. With a flick of his tail he swam closer to the boat and rested his arms over its edge. "He’s just decided to give them all names."

"Why?"

"It’s been a very long Winter, Rye-bread. These waters are so fucking boring when they’re frozen, you have no idea. Gavin’s gone a bit loopy with boredom. He’s started categorizing everything."

"Has he?" asked Ryan, lifting an eyebrow. 

Michael sighed. “Apparently there’s twenty-eight different kinds of rock in our lair.”

"Wow. Fascinating."

"It’s all he’s been talking about for the past three days."

Ryan laughed. “Well, all the ice has finally melted. The sea should be teeming with life pretty soon.”

"Yeah. Spring’s a bit slow this year though, so the fish are pretty slow to come back too."

Michael must have given up on fighting the current, because the boat had started sliding on the water again. It tugged Michael with it, bringing them even further from the shores.

"So," said Michael after a short silence, "that was my Winter. How was yours? What news do you bring of the human world?"

Ryan shifted a bit. He cleared his throat and slid a hand through his hair.

"Everything’s fine, I think. We had enough food to last all Winter thanks to you, Gavin and Ray. You can thank them for me."

"So nobody found it weird when you came home with a boat full of fish two days before the water froze?"

"Oh they found it weird all right, but they didn’t ask questions. Nobody cares about ‘weird’ if it means not going hungry."

"That’s what I like about humans," said Michael. "Nobody cares about anything as long as their own needs are satisfied."

"Yeah," said Ryan quietly.

Michael tilted his head to the side. “Is everything all right, Rye-bread?”

"Yes. I’m just… I’m happy to see you again."

The merman smiled again, his pointy teeth as white as the stars above their heads. “I’m glad to see you too. Alive. And not in the water.”

"Yeah, all right—"

"How many times have I saved you from drowning?" Michael pulled himself a little bit more on the boat so he could hook his armpit over the edge. His hands, with their palmed fingers, brushed against Ryan’s legs. "Like ten times, right?"

"It was only three and you know it."

"Three times in about two years. Yeah, I get why you’re happy to see me, I’m your own personal life-saving device."

"Shut the hell up."

"But I did miss you," said Michael softly, as if he was embarrassed to admit it. "These waters are boring when there’s nobody drowning in them."

"I missed you too," said Ryan, but his words were quiet -a little too quiet. He took a deep breath, steeling himself. "Michael… I’m getting married tomorrow."

Michael’s eyes widened.

For a full minute there was no sound at all coming off the merman, no movement either. For a crazy second Ryan worried he’d been changed into stone.

Then he blinked.

"Since when?"

"Since the King died last November."

"I don’t know what November is, Ryan," said Michael, apparently unconcerned with the death part.

"Really? How many times have I explained the calendar to you?"

"Just tell me!"

Ryan sighed. “It was just after the sea froze. My father passed and… Since I’m his son, I am now the King. Or I will be, once I’m married.”

"Why didn’t you tell me?"

"Because the water was frozen?" said Ryan incredulously. "How do you want me to communicate with you when we’re separated by three meters of ice? Should I tap on it in code?"

"It thawed two weeks ago!" Michael screamed.

"Michael!" protested Ryan, bringing his hands to his ears. A merman’s scream was everything but a nice sound. "Keep your voice down. I wanted to come earlier, I just couldn’t. I swear."

"Why do you even have to marry anyone? Or be King? You told me you didn’t want to. Just make someone else do it!"

"It doesn’t work like that…" Ryan winced a little, trying to find the right words. "I don’t get to choose. My fiancée was chosen without asking me, either. She’s a wonderful person, but probably not someone I would spend the rest of my life with if I had the choice. I just don’t have that choice."

"Why not?"

"Because that’s how it is," said Ryan.

"I don’t get it."

A bitter smile spread on Ryan’s lips. “Never mind. It’s just… it’s human traditions. Duties to your people and all that. I’ve explained it to you before.”

Michael looked nonplussed. “And I never understood. Those are weird duties.”

"Yeah, I know. But I can’t escape them."

The end of Michael’s tail appeared above the water, silver scales gleaming beautifully, then fell back down. Water splashed Ryan’s face and he flinched and cried out in pain.

"Michael!"

"Sorry."

"You’re fucking not!" Ryan scrubbed at his face. His nose was already numb with cold, his cheeks battered by the wind. The freezing water did not help. "God damn it. You’re a child."

"You’ve told me we weren’t compatible," said Michael. "I live in waters so cold they can kill you, and the water you like is hot enough to kill me. You said that’s why we can’t be together."

"Yes…"

"But I never try to kill you. The other humans do! How are they compatible with you? Shouldn’t you want to be with someone who would rather save your life?”

"Michael, it’s not because some of them tried to kill me once that—"

"Twice!"

"—that I don’t have any human friends."

"Huh. You only have two friends."

Ryan lifted an eyebrow. “And they’re more than enough. Listen, I…” Ryan paused a second to find his words. “I like you, you know that. But you know as well as I do that I have to have a life on land. I can’t live in these waters.”

Michael snorted. “You’ve tried though.”

"Tried what?"

"I’m just saying, you seem to like freezing water."

Ryan rolled his eyes. “Don’t start again…”

"Three times, Ryan. Your humans tried to kill you three times."

"I’m the son of a controversial King. People object to that kind of things… in a mostly murderous way. And it was only twice!"

"I fished you out of these waters three times."

"I know, I remember. I was there."

"You survived, though. Every time."

Ryan frowned. Michael’s voice had suddenly changed. Up until now it had sounded mostly human, but his last few words had an echo to them that made Ryan’s hair stand on his arms.

"You can survive the cold," Michael said, and he slipped under the water.

"What do you m—MICHAEL!!" shouted Ryan as the boat suddenly made a giant leap forward.

He was thrown off balance and hit the bottom of the boat, landing painfully on the two oars lying there. He scrambled to his knees and looked into the black water.

"MICHAEL!" he screamed. "Michael stop this! Michael I know you can hear me, stop this right now!"

The merman’s head reappeared behind the boat, his arms pushing underwater as his tail propelled him forward.

"You can survive the cold, Ryan," said the merman. His voice had definitely changed -it was shrill and unpleasant, reminded Ryan of the primal scream of a wounded animal. "You can come with me!"

"I’ll die!"

"Eventually. In the meantime we can be together!"

"No, Michael you’re not getting it!" Ryan had to grip the edge of his boat to avoid being thrown overboard. Even the calmest of seas become a nightmare when a siren is pushing you as fast as they can. "Don’t you remember how sick I was when you saved me?"

"But you were inside the water!" protested Michael. "I’m keeping you in the boat! It’s less cold and you can breathe!"

"I’ll suffer until I die! It will be torture! You can’t do this to me! Michael, please!"

The boat came to an abrupt halt. Again, Ryan was suddenly face to face with the bottom of his boat.

"Fucking-ow," he moaned.

"You’ll suffer?"

Ryan closed his eyes briefly, taking a deep breath, before he rose back to his knees. Michael was back by the side of the boat, his tail floating limply on the water.

"You’re not lying? You’ll really suffer?"

"I’ve never lied to you," panted Ryan. His heart was still beating way too fast in his chest. "Even right now, I’m really cold."

"You usually stay longer," said Michael.

"And it’s usually warmer," retorted Ryan. "You said it yourself : spring is slow to come this year."

Michael lowered his eyes and sunk a little into the sea.

"I’m sorry," he mumbled, sounding like a child who’s been told to leave the cookie jar alone. "I’ll just… I’ll bring you back to the shore."

"Not yet," said Ryan. "We haven’t finished talking."

Michael frowned. “But you said-“

"I can stay for a few minutes more. I’ll tell you when I reach my limit."

Michael crossed his arms on the edge of the boat and put his chin on them. He raised his red eyes to Ryan.

"We’ll still see each other?" he asked.

"I—" Ryan started, but he stopped himself.

He looked at Michael, with his bright red eyes and sharp bones, a creature that would give nightmares to a child. And yet…

The more he looked at that creature, the more Ryan felt his mind crumble. These bright eyes and sharp features didn’t repulse him -on the contrary, they made him want to jump into the sea. For a crazy moment, he thought about accepting Michael’s offer.

Let him carry the boat away, far away from the shore and the humans and all the duties waiting patiently for Ryan to come home. He would suffer, yes, he would slowly die… but at least he would spend a few hours more with Michael. It seemed reasonable… just for a moment.

"Yes," he said finally. His voice sounded choked up and he coughed a couple of times. "But less often. I’m going to have duties, now."

"Again with the duties," sighed Michael. "Are those really that important?"

"Yes, they are. I have to protect my people now, Michael. They take precedent over my… night-time escapades on the sea."

"Is that what I am?"

Ryan took one of Michael’s hands in his. The skin was slick, as if oiled. It was also freezing, even through Ryan’s thick gloves.

"I’m not yours to keep, Michael. I’m not some treasure you can hide somewhere. I have a life."

Michael curled his overlong fingers around Ryan’s hand and squeezed -a little too hard for comfort.

"I know. I just don’t like it." A beat passed, before he added, "Do you?"

"Do I what?"

"Like your life."

"I… It’s not a question of liking it or not. I won’t leave my city alone, and if marrying someone is the only way to affirm my authority I will do it. I do like my people."

"You like me more," said Michael petulantly.

Ryan laughed. He brought the merman’s hand to his mouth and kissed it, ignoring the cold that burned his lips.

"I don’t know why, but I do like you a lot. My love for you can’t be the reason why a whole city if left to itself, though, can it? I won’t be that selfish."

"You can be shellfish."

"Oh God, Michael. You’re the worst."

The merman giggled. “Yeah. I’m not proud of myself either.”

He tugged one of Ryan’s hands down and kissed the back of it, on the glove.

"Sorry I tried to kill you."

"You’re not the first," said Ryan. "I forgive you."

"How will I know you’re all right if I don’t see you every night?"

Ryan thought for a moment.

"I have a green lamp," he said. "I’ll tie it to the docks and light it every evening. If you see a green light at night, it means I’m fine."

"If I don’t?"

"Then… search the water, I might be in it."

Michael’s hand lashed out so quickly that Ryan didn’t even see it before it hit his forehead.

"Ow! Stop the violence!"

"Don’t joke about that shit."

"You joked about it too!"

"But I can save you! You can’t save yourself, so you don’t get to joke about it!"

The merman’s movements had brought even more water into the boat. A powerful shiver ran through Ryan.

Michael noticed. “I’m bringing you back.”

"I can still stay," said Ryan. He put his gloved hands under his armpits. "I can stay a little longer."

But Michael wasn’t having it. “You said you were gonna die in the cold.”

"Not yet—"

"I’m bringing you back, shut up. Block your ears."

Ryan obediently put his hands over his ears. The thick gloves were perfect to block out the sound when Michael opened his mouth wide and shrieked. Ryan still felt the air ripple with the force of the merman’s scream, but he barely heard anything.

Michael closed his mouth, Ryan took his hands down. Not a second later another merman broke the water.

"You called? Oh, hi Ryan!"

"Hi, Ray."

"It’s good to see you. Michael was waiting for you. He was going crazy, he almost swam to the shore to make sure you we—spfffflt!!" A splash of water hit Ray in the face, cutting him off.

"Shut up and help me bring him back to shore," said Michael briskly. "Quickly."

"Michael, I’m fine."

"Shut the fuck up, won’t you? Come on, Ray!"

Ray swam to the boat and grabbed the front of it. His tail gleamed red.

"Ready when you are."

The two of them combined made the boat almost fly. They were going incredibly fast against the current, and Ryan had to sit at the bottom to protect himself from the freezing water splashing in his face.

The air was rapidly warming up as the shore approached. When the boat started slowing down and then stopped, Ryan knew they’d reached the limit. Beyond this point the water would start getting too warm for the mermen’s comfort.

Michael’s head bobbed up by the side of the boat while Ray held it still.

"I’ll watch your green light."

Ryan smiled and leaned over the boat, his face inches from Michael’s.

"If I was sure it wouldn’t freeze me to death, I’d kiss you right now. You’re cute when you’re worried."

"Fuck you."

"I really regret teaching you swearwords."

"And I regret liking you."

Ryan blinked stupidly at him. “Oh?”

"It would be a lot easier if I just liked someone from my own species." Michael shrugged, his eyes looking anywhere but at Ryan. "But here we are. What are you doing?" he asked as Ryan knelt just by the side of the boat.

Ryan bent down and wrapped his arms around Michael’s shoulders, and pulled him upward until the merman’s torso was on the boat and Ryan was hugging him tight. 

Michael squirmed. “Stop it! I’m cold! Stooooop! You’re gonna hurt yourself!!”

"It’s the last time we can do this for a while," said Ryan. "I’m not moving."

Michael kept trying to get out of the embrace, but Ryan’s furry clothes stuck to his skin and he couldn’t quite wriggle out.

When he was finally released, he slipped back underwater for a second before coming back up.

"You really have no survival instincts!!"

Ryan was shivering even harder now, the cold of Michael’s body having sunk into his bones. But he was smiling.

"I love you."

"I hate you!" spat out Michael.

"Take care of yourself."

"No. I hate you."

"Bye, Michael."

"Bye, you motherfucker. Come back as soon as you can."

And Michael dove under the black water. A second later, a powerful blow to the back of the boat made it bounce forward and Ryan scrambled for his oars.

Time to go home.

____________*_____________

When he reached the docks, he was welcomed by two men who looked mightily pissed off.

"Stop giving us the slip," ground out Geoff, practically dragging Ryan off his boat. "I hate it when you fucking disappear."

"At least we always know where to find you," said Jack. "How are your mermen?"

"They’re not mine," said Ryan, "but they’re fine."

It took a long time for them to get back to the castle. Ryan was almost dead on his feet by the time they walked through the door.

In his room, Jack made him a cup of tea and Geoff brought him blankets.

"You’re fucking frozen," Geoff grumbled disapprovingly. "Why didn’t you tell us you were going out tonight?"

"Because you would have come with me."

"Of fucking course! It’s our job!"

"I just needed to talk to him alone," said Ryan.

Geoff looked at him for a moment. “Drink your tea, idiot. I’ll make you a hot bath.”

He turned around and left the room, taking care to slam the door behind him.

Jack sat next to Ryan. “You know you scare us when you disappear like that.”

"You know the merpeople wouldn’t hurt me."

Jack thinned his lips. “They’re unpredictable. They’re capricious and dangerous. They tried to kill Geoff when they met him for the first time.”

"They were scared. They’re good people, Jack. Michael has saved my life more times than you two."

Jack shook his head slowly. “That’s a low blow.”

"Sorry. Come on, Jack. You know they protect me. They brought us food to last all winter, they helped when you were stranded at sea last year, they fought pirates for us… they’re good. And Michael… well. You know."

"Yeah," said Jack quietly. "Yeah. I know. God… only you would fall for a sea-creature. You’re fucking weird."

"So you guys keep telling me. Personally, I don’t see it."

Jack smirked, but his smile fell quickly. “Tomorrow you will be married. You’ll be King. Every single guard in this town will be following you and protecting you, and you will have a wife to care for. It won’t be only me and Geoff anymore… If you’re not careful, people will find out about your merpeople.”

"They’re not mine, and I know. Which is why I needed to see them one last time."

"Did you tell them it was the last time?"

Ryan laughed. “He would have tried to kidnap me. And this time I wouldn’t have escaped.”

"This time? Did he try to kidnap you before?"

"He just has another idea of what constitutes a romantic gesture," said Ryan. 

Jack didn’t look amused. Ryan didn’t really care. He didn’t expect anyone to understand what Michael and the other merpeople meant to him. 

Nor how much it hurt to know he would never see them again.


End file.
